


Frost

by Bladespeaker



Category: Guild Wars 2 (Video Game)
Genre: (it's complete because it's SHORT.), F/M, Frostfire (Illa Frost/Verdis Noct) - Freeform, I found my first complete GW2 fanfiction lol, I'm making a sequel anyway~~, Sylvari (Guild Wars), gonna use this for a prompt just wanted to get the characters over here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-19
Updated: 2019-08-19
Packaged: 2020-09-07 07:35:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20305801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bladespeaker/pseuds/Bladespeaker
Summary: Illa Frost never fails to bring in her marks when paid -- but this time, she might consider it.  (Part One written in 2016 for the Kit the Traveler writing contest, which won first place.)  Part Two added later for a prompt.





	1. Chapter 1

She was the same pine-green color as the forest, and her hair was made of leaves the color of snow. To anyone who hadn’t yet met a member of her race- which was becoming increasingly-rare- the sylvari would have looked quite disturbing. Although she had a humanoid build and face, humans did not have spines protruding from the bridges of their noses and cheekbones, nor did they have layered, pointed leaves for ears. Furthermore, any human would have been shivering vigorously in the weather where she currently resided. She, however, felt no such thing. Her thick cloak grew from her own body, insulating her against the cold while further increasing her awareness of the world and its movements even in the hushed dead of winter. A line of thorns protruded from her lower back and coiled around and up her sternum, pausing at her throat where her shoulderpiece grew behind her. She readied her bow and glanced behind her, where her pet drakehound rested in the snow. He whimpered softly, casting warm brown eyes in her direction.

“Soon, Jags,” she whispered, ice-white eyes crinkling with her smile. “We must be patient.”

The dog gave one more whine before resting his muzzle on his enormous paws. He was of a muscular build with a short coat and hardy constitution, bred by the humans of Kryta for hunting the enormous, fire-breathing lizards they called drakes. She had met him on a farm, a plucky member from his litter of pups. While most of his brethren had stumbled and bumped into each other in their haste to put as much distance between themselves and her, he had been the only one who stood his ground, giving a curious yip and wiggling forward to sniff her extended fingers. Since then, he had been one of her most-constant pets, often helping her bring down new prey. She reached a hand down and scratched the large, noble beast, slipping him a piece of jerky to reward him for another day of excellent behavior in the wilderness. The sylvari then shifted in place, repositioning herself and peering down the cliff once more. She had hunted many beasts and brigands before, never failing to take in a kill and never losing a captured foe. The only difference between her and other hunters was one thing: Patience. Any good hunt must be preceded by waiting for the beast to show its face, after which one must further allow for it to become comfortable and still. It was when the animal thought itself safest that she had drawn her bow and proven that silence was not necessarily an indicator of safety. The hound gave a low, throaty growl, breaking her from her reverie. She scanned the snowy valley and spotted her prey. “Good boy, Jags,” she smiled, rubbing behind his ears again. They were perked up, ready to receive his mistress’s orders. She nocked an arrow onto her string, aiming at the oblivious traveler. “Sic ‘em.”

The dog rushed down with a baying snarl upon him. The man had barely enough time to draw his staff before its vice-like jaws clamped down on it. Any later, and he had no doubt that the now-splintered wood would have been his chest or shoulder.

“Alive, Jags!” came a crisp, female voice. His throat plummeted as he realized that his hope of being attacked by nothing more than a feral dog was much more; this attacker was a hunter, and he was her prey. Survival was the least of his concerns- he now must fight for his freedom, and despite her command, he had no doubt that his life might also require battle. Tossing aside the broken wood, he drew his sword and slashed at the dog. It yelped, jumping back before redoubling its efforts and lunging at him again. He barely dodged its swiping paws, landing in a snowdrift as he dodged back. Where was the ranger?

A slight shimmer in the air alerted him to her presence. This time, he took the offensive and charged at her, breaking through her camoflauge and swinging at her bow. It was an ominous purple, seemingly-formed from seething violet thorns, and she used it to block his strike. It held, and she kicked him back, whistling for the dog again and switching to her own sword.

“I suppose we’re even, now,” he gasped, leaping back as its fiery edge bit into the snow, leaving a hissing trail of steam.

“Oh, hardly,” she replied coolly. “You nicked my dog’s nose.” She rolled around his slashing strike, charging towards his undefended back. He let out a cry of pain as the flaming blade burned hungrily into his leg. Acting reflexively, he snatched the torch from her other hand and disappeared into the wooded shadows. The dog snuffled curiously, and her eyes narrowed.

“Where are you?” she growled.

He answered by tossing the torch to the ground, lighting the cold, dry grass below on fire. Despite the frost in the air and the snow around, the weeds caught quickly, and she threw her hands in front of her face to protect her eyes from flying sparks. The hound yelped as its paws made contact with the embers. Though he had thought this would have dissuaded or startled the ranger and her pet, the man was surprised to see that she had quickly scooped up the dog and made sure that he was safe before removing herself. Was that admiration he felt rising in him? Perhaps like that of the fox for the bloodhound, he thought, a smile flashing across his lips.

“Quit stalling,” she called, catching sight of him again. “We both know how this will end, and your cowardly ways of attacking Jags here is causing both of us to become rather nettled. The sooner you come out with your hands up and weapons down, the quicker we can get this over with and head someplace warm.”

“If by warm you mean a cell, then I think I’ll pass on your offer,” he replied, drawing his shortbow and taking aim. “Freedom sounds much better than captivity.”

“And life sounds better than death, doesn’t it?”

“I thought you Night blooms were supposed to be the secret, solitary sort. You seem fairly lenient with your methods today.”

“It’s not every day I get the chance to hunt another sylvari,” she replied, returning his smile with one of her own. “And if you think that your arrow will get me before mine strikes you…. Well, you’ve heard the tales.”

He threw back his head and laughed, exposing an obsidian-barked face . “Illa Frost,” he chuckled, dull orange eyes glittering at her, “surely you don’t think that you could take down the greatest thief this side of the Shiverpeaks with a single shot?”

“You may have a reputation, my dear Verdis,” she replied, voice unamused and arrow still nocked, “but I sincerely doubt that you are the best on this side of the Shiverpeaks- or that you’d be completely unaffected by an arrow in your side.”

“How would you know? Have you asked everyone here or taken a poll?”

“No. Enough stalling.” She stepped closer, and Jags growled. “You injured my dog, dodged arrest, and now you are insulting me with your failure to accept responsibility. You cannot run from the law forever.”

“Ah, but you’re not exactly the law, are you?” He waved a piece of paper in front of her. Her hand flew to a pocket.

“How did you-?”

“Hm, ‘Illa Frost, bounty hunter for hire. Contract: Capture infamous thief Verdis Noct to bring him in for questioning before the Arcane Council relating to crimes of mischief, mayhem, and disappearance of several important pieces of jewelry.’ Really, is this what you’ve descended to? The Pale Mother would be displeased.”

“And I suppose your thieving ways are something for which she would be proud?” She had regained her composure and drilled him with a glare. He held up his hands in mock surrender.

“It’s not as if those grumpy gnomes were using them. And if you’d seen the size of those crystals, you’d understand.”

“Those ‘grumpy gnomes’ may not have been using them at the time, but they’re rather upset at the loss of those necklaces and earpieces. If you don’t return with me to Rata Sum, I can assure you that they’ll use more deadly means to get you there- and they will probably not weep if your face were to be pulped.”

“But I’ve got such a nice face!” he pouted.

“And an equally-nice reward.”

He looked over the note again and let out a low whistle. “Well, I suppose I can’t argue with that.” He flicked his gaze up from the paper to her. Sunset met frost, and he could have sworn that he saw her icy glare melt just slightly. Realization slowly dawned on him.

“How long have you been chasing me?” he asked quietly, pocketing the letter. “I knew I saw someone giving pursuit back in Rata Sum. Was that you?”

“Perhaps.” Her hands were faltering; she was gradually allowing the arrow to drop.

“Why didn’t you catch me then? If I was your most recent contract- and word must have traveled quickly in the city- then why not catch me then and there? Get the whole thing over with in one blow?” He stepped cautiously closer, casting a wary eye at the drakehound, who bared a fang but did not strike. She let loose a low, rich laugh, relaxing her grip on the bow. He had known that laugh for happier times and places where there was much more warmth than the frost that currently surrounded them.

“Oh, Verdis,” she sighed softly, shaking her head, “how did we get here? Your Wyld Hunt was to run…”

“And yours was to chase.” He smiled. “I suppose that old saying about opposites and attraction is true, isn’t it?” He paused, taking another step forward. “My Hunt still calls me. I cannot stop just yet.”

“Neither can I,” she replied. Her face had a look of bittersweet contemplation. Verdis paused before reaching into his pack and pulling out some paper-wrapped parcels. He extended them to Illa.

“Here,” he said quietly. She slowly took them, a look of cautious optimism starting to spread across her face. “You don’t need an excuse to chase me anymore,” he murmured. “There’s a letter explaining my mischief, expressing my remorse, and apologizing for the missing pieces.”

“Missing…?”

“Yes. After all, I thought that this one would look better on you.” He opened his onyx-skinned hand, revealing a square diamond pendant. She hesitantly reached for it and turned it over in her fingers.

“It’s lovely,” she whispered. Her gaze flicked back to him. “Why did you steal this one?”

He folded his arms over his chest, leaning slightly to the side and smiling. “I could be a total heel and tell you that it’s because it was the biggest and shiniest thing there, but the truth might make you blush.”

“Try me.”

Though claiming that she would be the one embarrassed, it was he who rubbed his neck self-consciously. “It reminded me of your eyes,” he hummed. “A little piece of home and heart which I’d left behind long ago. I want you to keep it.”

“Why? If it reminds you so much of that which you left…”

“No.” He curled her fingers around the necklace, pushing it gently back towards her. “The reason I don’t need it anymore is that I intend to make our hunts so much more intriguing than they are already. If that proves to be so, I’ll see you very often, but only if you promise me one thing.”

“And what would that be?” A smile tugged at the corner of her lips, and her breath caught as he leaned toward her. His sunset-orange eyes glowed.

“Make it an interesting chase, Illa Frost. Give me a reason to run, and I’ll give you one to catch me. Perhaps our little cat-and-mouse will go on until our deaths. Maybe not. I have a suspicion, though, that before it’s all said and done, we’ll have a bit of a jolly run through the whole of Tyria.” He then disappeared in a cloud of black smoke, appearing a short distance behind her. “I’ll see you shortly,” his voice echoed on the icy wind, “if you can catch me soon.”

She was the color of frosted pine needles- deep teal-green with white eyes and leafy hair. She had never missed a contract or target. Except for him. She returned the jewelry to the asura, but apologized that there was a piece missing which she could not find. They took it out of her pay, but she didn’t seem to mind.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say she was almost cheerful,” groused a councilman, glowering suspiciously at the woman’s receding form.

The others had their ideas as to why this might be, but the only one who knew was Illa herself.

As she sauntered off, the flowing script from a letter in her hand repeated in her mind. “Enjoy the necklace. I’ll see you in Kryta.”


	2. New Promises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set shortly after Verdis's escape from Rata Sum, the thief and the bounty hunter discuss their concerns, hopes, and fears.

Verdis Noct cracked open an eye at the pressure on his neck. It wasn’t the worst pressure that had ever been placed there; that award would still go to the golem guard that the Council of Rata Sum had sent after him, and he still winced at the memory of its metal foot on his throat. He couldn’t wince much, though, for while the current pressure at his neck wasn’t as heavy, it was much more precise, thin, and sharp.

“The dagger’s new,” he said calmly. He felt his neck scrape against cold steel as he swallowed and turned carefully to look at its wielder. The sylvari that sat next to him shrugged. 

“Had to make sure you didn’t run away this time,” she said as casually as if she was discussing breakfast. That topic had already been broached the night before, under more pleasant circumstances. He looked from her frost-white eyes to the dark pine-green skin of her hand and raised his eyebrows in what he hoped would convey the right message. She sighed at his look and removed her blade from his neck. “You can’t blame me for being wary.”

“I meant it when I said that my Hunt had finally burned itself out,” he said, and propped himself up on an arm. He absentmindedly rubbed at the spot on his neck where the bounty hunter’s blade once was. “I hope that means yours is gone, as well?”

“I was to hunt, Verdis,” she said, and a rare smile curved her lips. “But since I’ve caught you again…”

“I no longer need to run.” The phrase and its turns had been something of theirs since their first meeting those many years ago. He had tried denying it then – both of them had – and the resulting heartbreak it dealt both of them had left its scars. He sat up and self-consciously drew his knees to his chest. “You… do still forgive me for that, don’t you?”

“The running wasn’t what hurt me, Verdis,” she said. “It was the sudden absence. The hasty apology.” He could hear the distance in her tone, the same cold gulf that gave weight to Illa Frost’s chilly reputation. “It felt as though the words you had said before you left were nothing.”

“I was always bad at goodbyes, wasn’t I?” His once-confident facade cracked with a wary smile. She sighed and gave him a tired, encouraging look.

“You were, Verdis,” she said, and placed a hand on his cheek. “But that was then, wasn’t it?”

He drew back and puffed out his cheeks, casting his gaze heavensward. “I’d certainly hope so. Meeting you again in Rata Sum was one of the best things that had happened to me in ages.”

“Oh? And what of your reputation?”

He gave a smirk and a dismissive wave. “I didn’t care for it much at that point. Though when you caught up to me in the Shiverpeaks, it did remind me how much you still cared for that pup…”

She snorted and drew her legs onto the bed. The single, square white diamond pendant she had ‘lost’ when returning his stolen goods hung like a star on her neck. “I might have been angry at you, Verdis, but I could never be mad at Jags.” 

The enormous drakehound at the foot of the bed perked up immediately at his name and turned a massive head to stare at both of them. Verdis cleared his throat and drew the blanket further over his chest. 

“You know,” he murmured, drawing her close to him, “I think that dog’s too smart for his own good.” 

The bounty hunter smirked up at him, sunlight glinting off of the spikes that ran down her cheeks and nose. “He did help me catch you again, so I’d say he’s all right.” 

He hummed uncertainly and pressed a kiss to her nose. “I suppose we can come to a truce at that,” he said. He paused and rested his chin on her head with a contented sigh. “Is now a bad time to tell you I stole him from a Krytan noble’s litter…?”

He couldn’t dodge the pillow she punched at his face, but somehow, her laugh and the hope of the new dawn promised better days to come. He promised himself then, as he had done before, that he would do whatever he could to keep proving both of their hopes right.


End file.
